Bittersweet
by TheMiSuNdErStAnDiNg
Summary: And then she supposed she was happy she'd met him, happy even though their lives had been nothing but bittersweet.  He expressed so much in the three years she loved him, sometimes through words, more often without. SxK
1. Meeting Him

**Let's just say I met a mime, and developed a slight crush. Later, my head gave birth to a plot bunny, and this was created! (typed up at like midnight. expect a few errors.) **

**3nJ0y.  
**

Kairi first saw him in a crowded mall, the flow of passerby's blocking her view as they passed. At that moment, she did not know why he was so captivating to her, but when asked, years later, she'd say it was his smile.

You see, Twilight Town was no longer the quaint suburb it had been 8 years ago, when a teenaged Kairi had first moved in. It was a bustling city, overflowing with people who had long since run out of time.

But he, he was not looking at his shoes, power-walking to whichever destination with no sightseeing planned, no expression on his young face.

No, he was smiling brightly, genuinely, as a young brunette girl stared up at his face, her mouth open with wonder. He closed his eyes and puckered his lips in a perfect imitation of over-confidence, and his fingers slipped into a discreet pocket, drawing out…

Nothing. His cheeks puffed out, as he took in another deep breath, one hand getting farther from his face as the pretend balloon swelled with air. With a pleased smile stretched on his painted face, he held out 'the balloon' to the girl, bowing with a flourish as she 'accepted' the gift.

A boy with gelled up blond hair, slightly older, pushed to the front of the crowd that had begun to form.

"I want a balloon too!" he said loudly, commanding.

The mime smiled again, dazzling. He repeated his motions, spiky brunet bangs falling into his eyes as he extended his hand to the boy. However, the rebellious boy had other plans, and with a wild cackle he 'popped' the balloon.

Kairi giggled as the mime adopted a horrified expression, one hand over his heart as he staggered back, acting as though he'd been shot.

The shorter girl, too, seemed offended. "Hayner, how could you?" she cried, trying to console the mime, who played along delightedly.

She stayed there a long, long time, watching him go about his improvisation, watching him nod thanks to everyone generous enough to drop a few coins into a hat. When at last the spectators had mostly cleared out and he leaned against the wall for a break, she made her way forward, fumbling with a ten-dollar bill. It fluttered down to join the other coins and bills in the black fedora.

As she straightened, their eyes met. His, she decided, were the color of a cloudless summer sky at noon; clear and beautiful. Almost lazily, he detached himself from the brick and stepped forward to meet her. His hand found hers, and without breaking the gaze, he kissed the back of her hand, as any French gentleman would.

"What is your name?" she asked softly. In response, he shrugged one shoulder apologetically, and pointed up.

_ Ceiling?_ She wondered, but he could not, would not speak as a mime.

That was the beginning, she hoped.

…

The next day she was back, scouring the same area, at the same time of day. He was not there. Feeling just a tiny bit panicked, she rubbed her eyes and hoped she wasn't too tired to find him. She had stayed up until one last night, searching the web for more on mimes. It had driven her roommate, Xion, insane.

She went over the whole mall, twice. He was nowhere to be seen. This, of course, led to the perfectionist side of Kairi over-thinking everything, There were many malls in Twilight Town, maybe he went to another one? If so, would he come back to this one? When? Every-other day? Every few days? Once a week? Whenever he felt like it?

Or, say miming was actually illegal in Twilight Town and he'd been arrested?

Her head hurt so much she just went home. No amount of shopping could cheer her now, even though it was her favorite pastime.

…

He was not there the next day. Nor the one after. And not a week later, either.

Kairi despaired. In one day, she'd become much too addicted to a stranger's smile, and now it seemed he had moved on, charmed all the red-headed girls in Twilight Town and gone to the next on the list.

Xion was still driven insane, this time by Kairi's moping and silence. Her friend tried to make her happy, but left, in the end, for an evening out with her boyfriend. Kairi absently waved good-bye to Xion and Riku and prepared for bed.

…

Three weeks later, they met again. She watched once more as he displayed his tricks, entertained the crowd, and never said a word. And then finally, he was done, walking out of the men's restroom with his face void of the classic white makeup, his mime outfit folded up in a backpack.

She had to admit he was attractive, even more so as he smiled once he caught sight of her waiting form. He stopped in front of her, and she had to look up to meet his eyes.

"I was kind of hoping you'd be here again," he said, a half-smirk on his lips. His voice was deeper than she'd expected.

"I'm flattered," Kairi answered dryly.

His eyes lit up and he extended a hand out for her to shake. "Pleased to meet you, Flattered, my name's Sora."

Kairi blushed a pale pink, pouting as Sora made fun of her.

"My name is actually Kairi, thanks for asking. And now I get why you were pointing at the ceiling last time."

Sora laughed. "Yeah. Sora, sky, up and all that. And I'm sorry I teased you, _Kairi, _it's just that the opportunity was much too great to pass up."

Giggling insanely, Kairi was seized by the urge to annoy Sora, and she proceeded to do just that, reaching out to mess with his hair. Sora's eyes widened, and then narrowed.

"Oh, you asked for it," he said menacingly, and Kairi ran off, clutching her purse like a lifeline. He chased, caught her in more ways than one, and brought her lunch.

"The opportunity was much too great to pass up!" she quoted.

It was the start of something beautiful, a relationship between two people that was so right and so carefree that they settled into each other's lives as easily as if they'd grown up together.

**First Chapter! This'll probably be only four or five at maximum. Expect three chapters for sure. And, this ends very sadly. You've been warned!**

**See, A and P? I DID upload? E, hope you enjoy this too!**

**XoXo, S.  
**


	2. Roxas the Deliquent

**Three Years Later**

"Can we take a break? We've been walking forever!"

"Nope! Not yet, we have somewhere to be," he said, trooping down the iced park path with his usual insane festivity.

"Pretty, pretty please with hot chocolate on top? Sora, I'm tired!" Kairi pleaded, one arm linked with that of the previously-mentioned boy.

"_Are _you now?" he asked, a strange gleam in his blue eyes.

"Uh-huh," she said, watching him warily. He only got like this when he was planning something... All of a sudden, her boots were no longer connected to the ground, because she had been quiet literally 'swiped off her feet'

Sora laughed at her wide-eyed expression. "Don't get to used to this! I can't carry you around everywhere!"

Kairi's face fell. "You sure? It's kinda comfy here..." she trailed off, burying her face in his , when retelling the scene to friends, Kairi would jokingly complain about the way Sora had ruined her favourite jacket, but at the moment she was only concerned with the fact that it was _cold _and _wet _and the Sora had suddenly _dropped her in a snowbank, _which was _not cool. _She shriek, causing Sora to clasp gloved hands over his ears and flinch away. When her protests had finally petered off, he removed his improvised ear-plugs and tugged his gloves off before putting one finger up to his lips.

Kairi shifted in her cold seat and glared to the side, where a group of teenagers were busying pelting each other with snowballs. Their calls and shouts drifted over to her with the wind.

_"What did I ever do to..." _

_"Hayner, I'm... wasn't me!"_

_"Owned, Pence! That's what you get..."_

Kairi felt a finger on her chin, directing her to face him. "You're a terrible person," she told him. He frowned, kneeled down in front of her. His hand reached for his pocket, and then presented itself between them. Sora's other hand flipped the lid on an imaginary box.

Her jaw dropped.

"Sora Hikari, are you proposing to me?"

He nodded, and Kairi happily threw her arms around his neck, squealing with joy. "Hell, yes!" she laughed, as Sora pulled out a _real _ring.

* * *

Later that week, they were gathered in Xion and Riku's new condo.

Kairi sat on the couch, content, as Sora played with Namine and the two lovebirds were supposed to be preparing dinner in the kitchen. However, they'd been gone a rather long time, so they had probably gotten distracted and were now making out.

Kairi sighed, and slipped off the couch to plop down on the carpet with Sora and Namine.

"Those two better be careful, or else Namine will end up with siblings pretty fast," she said, watching as said little girl gurgled happily and waved a crayon in the air.

Sora cackled. "More nieces and nephews for meeee!" he drew out the 'me' as he picked up the blonde toddler and spun her around.

Kairi rolled her eyes and took Namine from her hyperactive boyfriend, cradling the rather confused child. "I still can't get over the fact that you're related to Xion," she lamented, stroking Namine's blond ringlets.

"Can't see me as a family man?" Sora smirked, leaning closer. Kairi laughed softly and high-fived his face away. **(An, I HAD to!)**

"No, of course not, Sora the family man, finally settling down long enough to stop cracking jokes and showing tricks and messing with my head with your insane miming. The world may as well end!" she crowed, as Sora stiffened and reached out with one palm. She could almost believe there was really glass in front of him as he pretended to press on it, becoming frantic. Dammit, he was too good.

How was she supposed to know her world _would _end, right then?

There was nothing out of the ordinary as Sora burst out laughing and Kairi lay a now sleeping Namine out on the couch, covering her with Riku's sweater.

There was nothing out of the ordinary as Riku and Xion finally gathered their senses and arranged the cutlery on the dining table, and as Sora bent down to kiss Kairi on the cheek as she sat down, blushing.

"I can't believe you guys are actually getting married! My little Sowa is finally growing up!" Xion ranted, smiling as the light from the lamp caught the ring on Kairi's hand. She blushed. "You have to help me, 'kay Xion? Just because I'm a fashionista doesn't mean I won't need someone with experience to set everything up!"

Across the table, Sora facepalmed. Riku smirked. "I had to go through this too, you weren't very supportive," he said. Sora rolled his eyes, thinking the girls' excitement was retarded. It was _just _a wedding!

There was nothing out of the ordinary when the phone rang. "I'll get it," Sora said, brown hair falling into his face as he got up.

But then, everything was wrong when Sora's face fell, a hollow expression in his eyes as he finalized the call and turned to the anxiously waiting three.

"Xion? Roxas finally landed himself in jail. He's asking if we can bail him out of trouble with the Organization Gang again."

The perfect evening was ruined as the friends ate quickly, as Xion and Sora donned their coats and scarves and said their goodbyes.

Xion and Riku exchanged chaste kisses before she stepped out into the hallway, and Sora pulled Kairi into a tight hug.

"I have to go, you know? He's pretty much our little brother, he's an idiot but we gotta stand up for him."

Kairi nodded, letting herself memorize every bit of Sora's warm embrace.

"I know, Sora. Just be careful, okay? It's pretty icy out there," Kairi said. His lips pressed against hers, a momentary pressure, and then he was gone.

Glumly, Riku walked out into the living room and plopped down on the couch, switching the TV to some sports channel.

Kairi joined him, staring at some athlete named Tidus looking very concentrated. She couldn't even name the sport.

Beside her, Namine stretched and turned on her other side, achieving the serene cute that only little kids could really meet. She had yet to turn two.

**O_O See, I told you it wouldn't all be fluff! And hell, Roxas a deliquent? Of course. Poor everybody.**


	3. They Shouldn't Let You Drive Away

She never knew exactly what happened after that. Time passed, and she and Riku were still sitting in the waiting room, still wondering about Xion's fate.

Every once in a while Riku would glance at her, and Kairi knew she should have been more emotional. Sora had been killed on impact with the other car, a life crushed, a whole shattered, a hope taken away. She supposed it was better, but not by much, then Riku's situation, still waiting to hear if Xion had survived heart surgery.

Still waiting to see if he'd end up a single parent.

And then suddenly the doctor walked in, his face grave, and the suspense was over.

"Thank you, . We understand," Kairi said robotically, and tugged Riku away from the death.

"No. We don't understand." Riku muttered, his voice very muffled by the hand he had pressed to his face to stem the tears.

Over and over, Sora spinning Namine around, both their faces lit up with joy, played in Kairi's mind. She was going to drive them -meaning she and Riku- home -meaning his condo, as Kairi lived farther away and neither of them was up for the drive-, but after the third time she dropped the keys in the snow, Riku sighed and took them from her, unlocking the car and sliding into the driver's seat.

Kairi flinched at the sudden mental image of Xion's car, completely destroyed, and suddenly did not want to get home in a car.

Then she blanked out again and regained her senses in Xion and Riku's- no, only Riku's guest bedroom.

She didn't bother with changing or brushing her teeth or anything. That was all stuff for the living.

A few months later, she was walking down the aisle towards the wrong man. It wasn't for her benefit, or for his. It was a selfless decision for her, now that she was alone in the worlds, to marry for someone else's good.

Namine was radiant with happiness as she toddled down the aisle, fluttering flower petals behind her. A little tear made its way down Kairi's cheek.

**See? Told you it'd be depressing. Tis alright, I intended for this to happen from the beginning. Anyway, it's pretty obvious who she's marrying and stuff, but can you guys tell why? The meaning is a little more hidden...**

**Mucho mucho gracias to everyone who reviewed, including Wizard-hat-is-wizard, Allers3, and Snowhiskers, for reviewing and stuff. Actually, you're the only ones who reviewed, so nevermind. Hope you likes, kiddies.  
**

**IMPORTANT! Guys, this is NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. Epilogue coming up later! Allers3, I worked out the family ties and implied Namixas in it, :D!**

**Yesh. MERRY CHRISTMAS OR HAPPY HOLIDAY.**

**TheMiSuNdErStAnDiNg.  
**


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